Protective device for latchconditioning elements



June 7, 1960 E M TRAMMELL, JR 2,939,307

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR LATCH-CONDITIONING ELEMENTS Filed Sept. 10, 195a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.3.

INVENTOR. EARL M. TRAMMELL JR. BY

TTORNEYS.

June 7, 1960 E. M. TRAMMELL, JR 2,939,307

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR LATCH-CONDITIONING ELEMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10, 1956 FIG.6.

Y F|G.7.

INVENTOR. EARL M. TRAMMELL JR.

BY A

TTORNEYS United States Patent PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR LATCH- CONDITIONING ELEMENTS Earl M. Trammell, Jr., Gatesworth Apt, 245 Union Blvd, St. Louis, Mo.

Filed Sept. 10, 1956, Ser. No. 608,926

Claims. (Cl. 70-181) This invention relates generally to protective devices for latch-conditioning elements, and more particularly to devices of this character used on automobile doors to control selectively the operation of latch-conditioning elements.

The present developments constitute certain improvements over the subject matter of patent No. 2,708,845 issued May 24, 1955 to this applicant, and entitled Lock- Plunger Guarding Devices.

Many automotive vehicles are equipped with a reciprocating plunger on each door operable through an aperture in the door frame, the plunger serving to condition the latch mechanism of the door through a plunger rod to prevent operation from inside or outside the door. Accidents are frequently reported involving children and sometimes others, who unintentionally actuate the inside door latch, permitting opening of the car door and injury of the occupants through falling from a moving vehicle.

One of the principal objectives of the present invention I is to obviate such hazards.

An important object is relaized by a protective device that prevents the unintended, casual or otherwise unwanted manipulation of door latch-conditioning elements from door-locking position to door-unlocking position.

Still another important objective is achieved by a protective arrangement of the type described that affords the advantages discussed above, yet enables completely normal and conventional use of the plunger for latch-conditioning purposes when such is desired.

Yet another important objective is realized by the pro vision of 'a protective device which utilizes a slide element that is completely shielded to preclude digital actuation, yet adapted to be actuated by' an instrument such as a key so that the element selectively prevents unwanted movement of the plunger head in one direction of its range of travel.

Other important advantages are achieved by the provision of means that indicate visually that a movable lock element is positively engaging the plunger head to prevent direct digital operation of the plunger head, as for example from the door-locking position to the door-unlocking position, thus indicating a safe condition for the occupants of the automobile. In addition, such means indicate visually when the lock element is operatively disconnected from the plunger head to permit normal plunger head operation, thus indicating a condition in which the plunger head may be unintentionally moved to a door-unlocking position.

Another important objective is realized by the structural arrangement and functional cooperation of the plunger head with the movable safety lock element which enables positive engagement when the plunger head is disposed in one limit of its range of travel to preclude movement to the other limit.

Other important advantages are realized in that the protective devices are simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture and easy to assembly. Such devices may be readily utilized by any person with the 2,939,397 Patented June 7, 1960 2 proper actuating instrument without requiring any special skill or any complicated instructions.

The foregoing and numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of two embodiments, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the protective device for a latch-conditioning element mounted on a frame element of a automobile door;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, cross sectional view as seen along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in cross section as seen line 33 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view as seen along line 4--4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modified protective device for a latching mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in cross section, as seen along line 66 of Fig. 5, and

along Fig. 7 is a view partly in cross section as seen along staggered line 77 of Fig. 6.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawings, it will be particularly noted that the protective devices are disclosed as being utilized on an automobile door that includes inside glass frame 10, outside glass frame 11 and window glass 12.

As is conventional in most present day automobiles, a plunger assembly generally indicated at 13 (Fig. 2) is used to condition the latch mechanism of the door against operation from inside or outside the door. The plunger assembly 13 includes a plunger head 14 attached to the top of a plunger rod 15 that is connected to the door latch through suitable mechanism not shown. The plunger head 14 is disposed and mounted so that it is reciprocally movable through an aperture 16 formed in the inside glass frame 10. A rubber grommet 17 is attached to the margins defining aperture .16, the grommet 17 serving to provide a close fit with plunger head 14 and to protect the plunger head from engagement with the metal glass frame 10.

The plunger head 14 includes a reduced shank portion 20 and a subjacent, enlarged portion 21 to provide a lock shoulder 22, the purpose of which will more clearly appear from the subsequent description of the other parts of the protective devices.

Located in 'a rectangular opening 23 formed in glass frame 10 immediately adjacent the plunger assembly 13, is a housing guard structure generally referred to at 24 in Figs. 1-4. The guard structure 24 includes outwardly flared, integral marginal flanges 25 that seat on the top of glass frame 10 along the marginal portions defining rectangular opening 23. A pluarlity of screws 26 secure guard structure 24 to glass frame 10, the screws 26 preferably extending upwardly through glass frame 10 into flanges 25 so that such screws are hidden from view. The top of flanges 25 are rounded so as to blend symmetrically with the outline of glass frame '10 and to present a smooth even surface.

The guard structure 24 includes side Walls 27 that are integral with flared flanges 25 to provide an upwardly opened cup-like formation 30. Extending between side walls 27 and constituting the bottom of cup-like formation 30 is a shield element 31. The side walls 27 extend below shield element 31 and are provided with opposed, inturned lateral margins 32 that realize a socket formation 33 below shield element 31. It will be seen from Fig. 2 that the socket formation 33 is closed at the left end and at each side, and is open at the right end and along the bottom between inturned margins 32.

Slidably mounted in socket formation 33 is a slide element 34 constituting a safety lock element. Theslide 3 p element 34 is capable of being actuated in a manner and by a means subsequently described so that the end extending out of socket formation 33 moves into and out of the .path of plunger head traveL. This end of .slideelement 34' is provided witlf 1a recessed portions35Ithat .con formsrsubstantially. to the. configuration of the reduced shank portion .20 "of; plunger head. 14 immediatelyabove shoulder 22," the recessedportion sfproviding spaced arms .36 adapted. to. embrace the. reduced'shank portion 20 as is more clearly shown in Figs..2.iand 3-;

A slot. 38 isformed insIideeIementLM', theslot 38being partially defined. byv end margins .37 (Fig. .3) that constitute opposed spaced abutments. The spacing between margins 37 is suflicient toreceive an actuating instrument such as 'a key. Formed'in -shield element. 31

2 immediately above slot 38is aicooperatingelongate slot 40 of reduced size so as to preclude digitalactuation of 7 slide element 34.by:access throughislot 40, and yet of a size to permit access to abutment. margins 37 by an actuating. instrument such :as a key.. The. slot. is of suflicient length so that the actuating instrument inengaging the abutment margins 37 maymove the slide element-34 into and out of efiective operative engagement with plunger head .14; r v

It will be particularly noted that :slide element 34 is completely protectedby shield element .31, and that the endportion extending out of socket formation-33 is locatedunderneath. glass frame 10so that-the slide element This indicating meansconsists of a smallopening .41 in shield .element 31 and the; provision: of. cooperating patches 39 and 42 ofdifierent colors on slide element 34 immediately underlyingshield-element .31.. Of course,

theopening 41'islsmalllenoughto preclude any digital manipulationof slide element-34 through such opening.

When slide element 34 is in its extenddposition to effectively lock plunger. head .14, the green.patch..39 is visible through opening. 41, this meaning that .theprotoctive device is .inisa'fety operations Whnslideelement 34 is .inlhe retracted positionout .of effective engagement with plunger head 14, the red patch 42 -is.located below and visiblethrough opening 41, thus indicating that the plunger head 14 is. capable of beingdireetly actuated to a door-unlocking position, and thus indicating the existence of ahazardthat the .doorv may be unintentionally opened while the automobile is in motion.

It is 'thoughtthat the operation and functional advan-- tages ofthis protective device :have become fully .apparent from the foregoing detailed description. of parts, but for completeness of disclosure .it willbe noted that..when

slide element 34 isxin. its retracted position relative .to. socket formation 33, the plunger head 14isfree-to move reciprocally in the conventional. manner throughaperture 16 to condition the latch mechanismof thedoor.

When it is desired to prevent-unintended orzunwanted actuation. of the plunger head 14 to the. door-unlocking position, such always being the case when. children occupy the rearseat'compartment of a fourdoorautomobile, the plunger head 14 isfirstmoved downwardly to the'doorlocking position shown in Fig.v2,. and then ansactuating instrument such as a -key-is inserted-through slot 49 into engagement with abutment margin 37, and theslide ele-' ment 34 moved or extendedby-such instrument into the pathof plunger headtravele In this extended position, the recessed portion'35 embraces-the reduced shank portion'20 andanns 36"engage shoulder-22' to prevent'movement ofaplungenhead 1410 the door-unlocki g p it n.

The green patch 39 is visible through opening 41 and indicates a safe condition.

In order to release plunger head 14, the actuating instrument must be inserted through slot 40 into engagement with abutment margin 37 to move slide element 34 back to its retracted position within socket formation 33, and hence move slide element- 34 operatively out of the path of plunger head llflVfll'. Withslide element 34 in its retracted position, the redrpatch 42 is'visible through opening 41 and indicates that a door opening hazard does exist. The plunger headf14' is now -capable ofthe usual manual manipulation;

It will be noted that. slide element'M-"cannot be extended effectively into the path of plunger head'travel when plunger head 1-4'is in its door-unlocking position. For example, if slide element 34 were attempted to be moved by an'actuating instrument operating through slot 40 and in engagement with abutment margin.37 into the path of plunger head-travel when the. plunger .head 14 isinits door-unlocking position, theendof the slideele merit would merely abut the-enlarged shankportion 2.1. and would not realize any efiective engagement to prevent direct digital manipulation of plunger head 14. The .pro-

' tective device is onlyoperable wheni plunger head 14 is in the door-lockingposition.

Figs. 5-7 inclusive disclose a modified protective device for a door latching mechanism. Itwill beapparent that the door frame includes corresponding elements disclosed in Fig. 1, that is,;an outside glass frame 11,v inside glass frame 10: andintervening.v glass 12. i Moreover, the. plunger assembly -13 is identical in construction withthat 1 previously described. 1 Briefly, the plunger; assembly 13 includes a plunger head 14 mounted on plunger rod 15, the plunger head 14 including-reduced shank portion 20 and enlarged shank portion 21 that-form .loclcabutment. 22. The plunger head 14 is movable reciprocally through an aperture formed in inside glass frame 10, such aper- -turebeing defined by rubber'grommet 17. V

The protective device includesasafety lockelement generally indicated at 45 'consistingof acy1indrica1 head portion 46 and an'elongate shankportion47. The head POlilOi'b45'i11CllldfiS a fiat 'upper surface havingan integrall peripheral flange 48 slidably-mounted in agroove formed in ring mounting -50, the ring mounting 50 being, secured to inside glass frame 10 -in.-c1ose proximity to the plunger assemb1y' 13; Formed inhead portion 46 is a narrow slot '51adapted to receivean actuating .instrument such as a key, the slot 51 being ofreduced size to preclude direct digital actuation of safety lock element 45.

Shank portion '47 is formed integral with. the .lower portion'of head portion :46 and. is provided at the free end with a recessed formation 52 adapted to embrace the reduced plunger shank. portion 20 immediately above lock shoulder 22 when'thewplunger head is. disposed in. the door locking position, as issillustrated inFigs. 6 and '7.

Upon-rotation" of head pcrtion46 by actuation of a keyinsisted, the shank portion .47 isswingably movable into and out of the pathtof plunger head travel. The shank portion '47 engageslocklshoulder 22 to .prevent movement of the plunger'he'ad'to the door-unlocking The shank portion 41 extends underneath'the glass frame 10 and is completely protected fromdirect digital actuation- Assuming that it is desirable'to utilize theprotective device, the plunger head 14 is first moved to the doorlocking position. Then, an actuatinginstrument such as a key is inserted into narrow slot 51.and the locking eiement-45 is rotated in mountingstructure 50 so that the recessed formation 52 embracesthe reduced plunger shank portion 26 immediately above lock abutment 22,

- as is best shown in Figs. 6-and- 7. In this position, the

. lock element 45 prevents any digital actuation of the plunger head 14 from the door-locking position.

When it is desired to unlock the door, the actuating instrument is again inserted in narrow slot 51 and the lock element 45 is rotated out of the path of movement of the plunger head to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. With the lock element 45 disposed in this inoperative position, the plunger head 14 may be directly digitally manipulated to the door-unlocking position Which is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The plunger assembly may now be operated in the conventional manner until it is again desired to utilize the protective device.

Although the invention has been described by making detailed reference to two embodiments, such detail is to be understood in an instructive, rather than in any restrictive sense, many variants being possible within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for selectively precluding actuation of a doorlatch-conditioning plunger, the device comprised of a plunger head movable within limits to condition the latch mechanism of the door, a slide element mounted for movement into and out of the path of plunger head travel, a housing structure about said slide element to prevent direct digital actuation thereof, the slide element being provided with abutment means, the housing structure being provided with an aperture immediately overlying and aligned with said abutment means through which an actuating instrument such as a key may be inserted for access to said abutment means for slide element actuation, the slide element selectively engaging the plunger head when the plunger head is disposed in one limit of its range of movement to preclude direct actuation.

2. In a device for selective precluding actuation of a doorlatch-conditioning plunger, the device comprised of a plunger head movable within limits to condition the latch mechanism of the door, a shield element on the door adjacent the plunger head, a slide element disposed underneath said shield element to prevent digital actuation of said slide element, means slidably mounting said slide element for movement into and out of the path of plunger head travel, the slide element being provided with an opening partially defined by opposed abutments, the shield element being provided with an aperture immediately overlying and aligned with said opening through which an actuating instrument such as a key may be inserted for access to said abutments for slide element actuation, the aperture being of reduced size to preclude digital actuation of the slide element by access through said aperture, the slide element selectively engaging the plunger head when the plunger head is disposed in one limit of its range of movement to preclude direct actuation to the other limit.

3. In a device for selectively precluding actuation of a doorlatch-conditioning plunger, the device comprised of a plunger head movable within limits through an aperture in a frame element of the door to condition the latch mechanism of the door, a slide element mounted adjacent said plunger head for movement into and out of the path of plunger head travel, the side element being provided with spaced abutments, a shield structure located over said slide element to prevent digital actuation of said slide element, the shield structure being provided with an aperture immediately overlying and aligned with said abutments through which an actuating instrument such as a key may be inserted for access to said abutments of the slide element for slide element actuation, the slide element being selectively movable into the path of plunger head travel when the plunger head is disposed in one limit of its range of movement to preclude direct actuation to the other limit.

4. In a device for selectively precluding actuation of a doorlatch-conditioning plunger, the device comprised of a plunger head movable Within limits to condition the latch mechanism of the door, a housing guard structure located adjacent the plunger head, the guard structure including a socket formation and an overlying shield element, a slide element slidably mounted in said socket formation for movement into and out of the path of plunger head travel, the slide element being provided with spaced abutments, the shield element being provided with an aperture immediately above and aligned with said abutments through which an actuating instrument such as a key may be inserted for access to said abutments of the slide element for slide element actuation, said aperture being of reduced size to preclude digital actuation of the slide element by access through said aperture, and being of a length greater than the distance between said abutments, the slide element selectively engaging the plunger head when the plunger head is disposed in one limit of its range of movement to preclude direct actuation to the other limit.

5. In a device for selectively precluding actuation of a doorlatch-conditioning plunger, the device comprised of a plunger head movable within limits through an aperture in a frame element of the door to condition the latch mechanism of the door, a housing guard structure located adjacent the plunger head, the guard structure including a shield element and a socket formation below said shield element, a slide element slidably mounted in said socket formation for movement into and out of the path of plunger head travel, the slide element being located below the shield element and extending underneath the frame element of the door to prevent direct digital actuation of said slide element, the slide element being provided with an aperture partially defined by spaced abutments, the shield element being provided with an aperture immediately above and aligned with the aperture the slide element through which an actuating instrument such as a key may be inserted for access to said abutments for slide element actuation, the shield element aperture being of reduced size to preclude digital actuation of the slide element by access through said aperture and being of a length greater than the distance between said spaced abutments, the plunger head being provided with a shoulder, the slide element selectively engaging the shoulder when the plunger head is disposed in one limit of its range of movement to preclude direct actuation to the other limit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,167,467 Archer Ian. 11, 1916 1,201,632 Rowse Oct. 17, 1916 1,238,989 Cooper Sept. 4, 1917 1,487,603 Ratto Mar. 18, 1924 1,867,829 Hershey July 19, 1932 2,084,045 Olsen June 15, 1937 2,629,246 Schumann Feb. 24, 1953 2,660,874 Ziomek Dec. 1, 51953 

